


What I've Given

by Alazan



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Bucky Barnes & Tony Stark Friendship, Emotions, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Hurt Tony Stark, Possible Slash in the future, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prosthetics, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Tony Loses A Leg, Tony Loses An Arm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 09:51:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11918361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alazan/pseuds/Alazan
Summary: During some solo missions Tony loses an arm and then a leg. None of the team knows since whenever they see him these days, in person or on TV, he's in his armor. Tony's keeping his distance and it's suspicious as it is annoying.Then during a team-up mission where a huge hybrid experiment is going to attack Clint, Tony blocks but the hybrid bites down and tears away Tony's (prosthetic)arm. As a whole, the team learns, more or less, what happened to him. Then one by one they try to reach out and be supportive.





	What I've Given

"Bruce. I...this isn't the best time." Pepper said to him with a sympathetic smile. 

This was the fifth time Bruce has tried to speak with Tony. Normally the scientist was all about being left in solitude and trying to keep The Other Guy at bay. Occasionally he did have to wander in for one reason or another. Though he didn't like to stroke Tony's ego, he would show his appreciation of having the company of someone who could keep up mentally with him. 

But Tony's been avoiding seemingly everyone for a while now. 

Bruce gave her one of his patient yet sarcastic smiles and asked, "Oh? And when might be the best time?"

Pepper sighed, "Look. Tony's busy. I have a company to run. I don't have anything else to say."

"But there is more to say isn't there? Something's up with Tony. Need I remind you what happened last time he was left to his own devices?" Bruce demanded, his anger coming through a bit.

But Pepper didn't falter or flinch. She looked him dead in the eyes and said. "I do remember. I also know Tony for many years. Not the man who the media thinks they know. I know the man who was kidnapped in the desert, the man who built Iron Man...I know _Tony_. I also know you have questions but you...you're going to have to be patient, Bruce."

"Is he okay?" Bruce asked after a moment. 

"I don't think he's ever been okay."

* * *

 

"So what's the new job?" Clint asked as he and Natasha walked towards the conference office. 

"No idea." Natasha replied coolly.

Clint snickered. "You're a world class super spy. You know. Come on, give me the skinny!" 

She rolled her eyes and nudged him with her elbow. "Now I remember why we leave you at the farm."

"Natasha. Clint."

The two agents turned to see Cap approaching while being flanked by Falcon and Bucky. Natasha nodded back to them, Clint did a two finger salute. 

"Capitan. Capitan's minions. Guess we just need Banner and Stark?" Clint asked. 

"Banner's already waiting by the jet. Stark will meet you en route. You'll be briefed on the plane." Hill said storming out of the office they were heading towards and leading the way to the hanger. 

"You know, I haven't seen Stark strutting around the place in a while." Clint commented casually. It was a notable disappearance. Even after all the dysfunction that's happened since Ultron and Bucky's return and all that followed. Tony loved to be around. Either to make sure they all knew he was smarter than all of them or to make sure everything was being done right. 

"Tony hasn't been around?" Steve asked with a raised eyebrow. He hasn't been there for obvious reasons, but he figured Tony would. 

Sam scoffed. "Stark's the face with CEO power. Let's not be too surprised he's not showing up to work."

"Stark's absence hasn't faulted in any work. He's a cocky son of a bitch, but one son of a bitch who knows how to fix problems." Hill sort of defended Tony. 

"Yeah, when he's not the one making them." Sam muttered under his breath. 

It gained him a slight glare from Bucky and a chiding glance from Steve. Bucky didn't really know Tony personally. After what it was revealed he'd done to his parents...he wasn't ever looking forward to that reunion. But he respected the Stark name. Howard had been an amazing person, and from what he's soon, so was his son. Sure he had that Stark showmanship and arrogance that the media portrayed and that Sam seemed set to believe was Tony's real self. Bucky doesn't feel like he has any say on the matter but he has read all the articles about all the things Tony has done to help people in need. By building stuff himself or donating money. Any rich douche wouldn't care and just play it off as a tragedy. Tony felt guilt and was trying to make up for stuff.

"Tony didn't build Ultron alone. Any complaints can be sent my way as well." Bruce stated as they reached the hanger. He's been there for a while since Tony has been avoiding the hell out of everyone. He's used to wearing the ear comms that let him hear Hill and around her. 

"Easy big guy. It's just guy talk." Clint replied in his attempt to keep things from getting green. 

Bruce looked directly at Sam and then the rest of 'Team Cap' before scoffing. "Right...let's go." Bruce turned and boarded the jet.

"I'll talk to him." Natasha said before following him in. 

"I know you got your thing against anyone who opposes Cap but for the sake of... _everyone_ , let's keep the Stark comments to ourselves, huh?" Clint asked Sam. 

"Make that request an order. Your mission is gonna be hairy enough. You don't need it to be green too." Hill added.

"We'll behave." Steve promised, with Sam and Bucky giving a nod each.

"So what is the mission?" Bucky asked, speaking for the first time. 

"Something that's going to make you miss the good ol' days." Hill said before the plane's door began to close. 

* * *

 

_"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!"_

"What's the matter Cap? Not gonna lecture him about his language?" Clint tried to ease the tension of what they just saw with humor. 

"I think he's still stunned." Natasha said, then pressed her comm and asked. "Sam, you okay?"

_"I was nearly tackled my some wolf-bear thing the size of a truck with apparently very poisonous fangs!"_

" _Nearly_ tackled. Don't be so dramatic." Clint deadpanned as he nocked another arrow and tried to find movement.

"Anything from your end Iron Man?" Steve asked, finally snapping out of his stupor. Tony had been strangely quiet through their trip and briefing, only sticking to facts and speaking only when needed. It was...weird. 

_"This place is giving weird readings from all over. Hard to pin point anything."_ Was Tony's reply.

"Alright. Everyone be careful. We got to bring in one of these things, but we don't know their full potential yet." Steve ordered. 

* * *

 

"Hulk got one of those things pinned!" Clint called out from his place. From there he tried to damage the hybrid as much as he could with his arrows. 

_"Yeah, but that thing just sent out a distress call...more are heading our way."_ Tony said gravely. 

And more did head their way. They all did their best to fight them off and keep from getting torn apart or bitten. For a moment it seemed like the field was even and everyone was holding their own. Then one of the hybrids who was thought to be out, wasn't and jumped towards Clint who was distracted trying to shoot another hybrid across the field. The beast lunged and had it's jaw wide open, ready to tear into Clint. The archer only noticed until it was too late and he closed his eyes and prepared for impact...but it never came. He opened his eyes to see Iron Man tackle the beast and saw said beast bite down hard on Iron Man's arm. Tony and the beast landed, the beast tugged one way and Tony the other way, trying to unleash his arm. The beast then crunched down and literally tore off the arm. 

Tony cursed and used his other arm to shoot the beast away. 

"Fuck..." Clint muttered in shock. "Please tell me that's not really you in there and that you're safely in the over priced confines of your home."

_"....fall back. They're all too strong."_ Tony's voice was void but strict. And then he was off in the air. 

There was a pause for a moment before Steve echoed Tony's order. 

* * *

 

By the time the managed to get the Hulk to be Bruce again, Tony already had over an hour ahead of them. But they arrived just in time to see Tony in the medic bay. 

"I wouldn't approach him right now. He's still...sensitive about it." Hill approached them and looked towards the med bay where Tony was arguing with the doctor there.

"He lost his arm? When?" Clint demanded.

"And his leg." Bucky muttered. They looked at him and then at Tony and noticed he wasn't wearing shoes, and let them see his robotic foot. 

"What the hell happened?" Steve asked in a whisper. 

"A mission gone wrong. He ended up saving the civilians but it was a sticky situation with last minute decisions and a dangerous psychopath." Hill answered. 

"Didn't he have any back up?" Natasha asked. 

"No. He's been solo-ing for a while now. We warned him, but Stark's stubborn. More so after. But that's why he hasn't been around lately. He wants to still be Iron Man and not feel weak."

* * *

 

"I thought you didn't have the temperament to listen to me drone on and on about my day-to-day." Tony's voice was snarky. He was in the locker room doing his best to change with just one arm and still be the Tony Bruce was used to. 

"I don't. But I can still try." Bruce said carefully.

Tony scoffed. "Awe, Bruce-y. Don't let awkward social standards force you into fake niceness. I like you. You don't have to pity me now that I'm not complete. "

"I'm not doing this out of pity." Bruce tried.

"Guilt then. Look...it doesn't matter what happened. It happened. I'm learning to live with it."

"Let me help."

"I don't _need_ your help!" Tony seethed for a second, before his eyes widened and he looked away. He took a deep breath and covered his eyes with his remaining hand. "I have reasons for being the way I am. I was a pathetically lonely kid who tried to avoid the crippling loneliness with money, partying, and booze..." He paused as he had a bunch of flashbacks to different points in his life. "After...after New York with Loki's attack...I felt broken and damaged in ways I hadn't felt since I was in the desert. But I could hide that. With expensive suits, the best scotch, the prettiest models...this? I couldn't hide this." Tony was quiet for a long moment before he said. "I'm fine, Bruce. I always am. What other option does Tony Stark have?"

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mean to make Sam to be such a douche but when it comes to anyone against Cap, Sam is...well, he's very Team Cap. I love Sam, but I love Tony more. So...it is what it is. Anyway, I wrote this instead of sleeping. Any of the following chapters that follow will be a one on one thing as each Avenger plus Co try to speak to Tony...?


End file.
